Travel agents see shorter vacations

Monday

Jan 25, 2010 at 12:01 AMJan 25, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Central Illinois residents may be cutting back on what they spend but they're still taking vacations and they are heading to perennial travel favorites like Orlando and Las Vegas, said Peoria travel agent Shelley Wilson.

Steve Tarter

Central Illinois residents may be cutting back on what they spend but they're still taking vacations and they are heading to perennial travel favorites like Orlando and Las Vegas, said Peoria travel agent Shelley Wilson.

A vice president with Alexander Travel Ltd. in Metro Centre, Wilson said most of the top destinations for American vacationers this year - as listed on the latest Travel Leaders poll of travel industry workers - are likely to be area favorites, as well.

"I think it's interesting that Mexico is listed three times on the top 10 when it's really the same basic area. You're flying into Cancun for any of those attractions," said Wilson.

Closer to home, central Illinois residents are wooed by the nearby major cities of Chicago and St. Louis.

"People love going to Chicago for good theater. We must have sent 30 buses to Chicago to see 'Lion King.' 'Wicked' and 'Jersey Boys' were also big draws," said Chris Trompeter, assistant coordinator for the Peoria Park District's Vagabond Tours program that's been organizing about 200 trips a year for area residents since the 1970s.

"Chicago Cubs games are always an attraction," she said of annual bus trips to Chicago's Wrigley Field.

St. Louis also courts area visitors, said Donna Andrews, public relations director for the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.

"The central Illinois audience is very important because it's so accessible by car. We think St. Louis is a popular destination because it's affordable and family friendly. Great attractions like the St. Louis Zoo and museums of art, history and science are all free," she said.

But central Illinois travelers also enjoy Orlando and Las Vegas, the top two attractions on the Travel Leaders list (Las Vegas took the top spot in the previous poll while Orlando finished second), Wilson said.

"Arizona is an extremely popular travel destination for central Illinois residents during the winter and spring training," said Wilson.

"The recession hit New York City travel since the cost of living is so high there," she said.

"The economic downturn translated into many people taking a less expensive hotel or cutting back on activities. In some cases, vacations were of a shorter duration," said Wilson, adding that she's encouraged by the possibility of an economic recovery in 2010, reflected in the fact that some people are already booking trips both for this year and 2011.

Dennis Sohn, owner of the ToGoAway Travel Network in Morton, said favorite destinations being booked by his agency include Mexico, Jamaica and Cancun. "There's also a decent amount of Hawaii travel. Right now people just want to get out of here," he said, indicating a preference for most travelers to go to places that are warmer than central Illinois.

"We always see a certain amount of Disney travel. We're seeing more grandparents taking grandkids," said Sohn, referring to trips to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Cruises also continue to draw area travelers, who are able to take advantage of some real bargains. "The cruise lines keep building ships. Somebody's got to be on them," he said.

Wilson agreed. "You can get some amazing buys on Alaskan cruises," she said.

Other cruise deals are also available, said Wilson. "I just booked a couple on a weeklong Caribbean cruise for $700 per person. It's an inside cabin but they'll visit three or four Caribbean islands and the cost is inclusive, covering all their food and drink," said Wilson.

Sohn said that 2010 is a good time to travel. "The deals are out there. It's not the same as (travel right after) 9-11 but it's a softer market," he said.

Sohn noted that it's a good idea for travelers looking to venture further afield to have a passport. "People have to start planning in advance," he said, pointing out it takes about four weeks for passport applications to be approved.

But not everybody takes a boat or plane out of town. Some take the bus.

"Over the last 20 years, our No. 1 tour destination has been Branson, Mo.," said Cindy Winkler, vice president at Peoria Charter Coach Co.

"We will send, on our tours alone, probably 500 people a year. Charter service takes many more groups,' she said.

"The second-biggest category are large cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, where people feel safer and more relaxed on a group tour. This year, trips to New Orleans, part of our 'Taste of Cajun Country,' are going gangbusters," said Winkler.

St. Louis is also a favorite, she said. "Our customers love to eat on 'The Hill' in St. Louis for amazing Italian food," said Winkler, who identified other St. Louis-area attractions such as the Gateway Arch, Grant's Farm, Six Flags, historic St. Charles and professional baseball and football.

Vacations have gotten shorter over the years, she said.

"The trend for most of our customers is trips that last seven days or less. Over the past several decades, it wasn't unusual to have a 30-day Alaska-by-land trip or one to the Pacific Northwest as well as several extended winter trips to Florida beaches," said Winkler.